Ask Dr. Potato

I read somewhere that Idaho has some of the most advanced potato storage facilities in the world and that russets can be saved for a year or more. Is that true?

I have a historical question to ask. Is there a USA equivalent of the Canadian version of Potato Poutine?

Can the USA ever run into the same issues with potato blight that Ireland did? I read that because Idaho only grows one variety, the Russet Burbank, that this could happen here. True or False?  

I used to work with a fellow who grew up in Idaho and at one time worked in a potato processing plant.  He told me that the potatoes were immersed in chemical(s), and this concerns me.  As I recall one of the reasons for using the chemical(s) was to inhibit the growth of the potato eye. Can you enlighten me as to how potatoes are processed and what chemical(s) are used before the potatoes are shipped to grocery stores?

Years ago I stopped into a little roadhouse somewhere in the deep south. They didn’t have baked potatoes, they had turpentine boiled potato. It had to be the best potato I have ever eaten. Boiling a potato in turpentine does not sound too healthy to me so I would suppose it is more a name than an actual method. Ever hear of it? Know how to make them?

Is it possible to "slow bake" potatoes at 250 degrees (cooking meat at this temp for several hours and can't do the potatoes at the higher temp)?

I recently tried to boil some potatoes (purchased within the past week) that would not cook.  They remained hard and inedible after boiling more than 40 minutes, even though the pieces were only 2 inch cubes.  Please note that I have been cooking for over 40 years, so I am not asking how to cook potatoes in general. My specific questions are:  Why did this happen?  Is there anything to look for that would indicate such a problem with potatoes when I purchase them?  Is there anything I can do to salvage the potatoes if this happens again?

 I am cooking for a local homeless group and would love some recipes for large roasting pans which won’t break my bank.  We are a group of 10 who use our own resources to provide, but I’m not skilled at cooking for large numbers with potatoes.  If you can share some recipes, I would be very grateful. Would the Turkey Shepherd Pie travel well and hold the heat?  Can I just increase the amounts by 4X?

I have a ton of leftover mash potatoes from last night. I found a recipe for leftover mashed potato pancakes but it looks like it will make a lot of them. I was wondering if I could freeze them?

I have been making fries at farmers markets for a while. I have been invited to do some festivals and have a question. I usually cut the fries the night before and soak them in water for about 12 hours before we use them. How long do fries have to soak in water before they are ready to fry?